


And That is the Story of How

by mouthydark



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Best Friends, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Homophobic Language, Kids, Love, M/M, Realization
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-10
Updated: 2015-08-10
Packaged: 2018-04-14 01:17:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4544577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mouthydark/pseuds/mouthydark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel Novak and Dean Winchester are in love. Everybody seems to know it but the boys themselves.</p><p>(Alternate universe that explores a friendship that was always really love.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	And That is the Story of How

**Author's Note:**

> I will warn that there are a couple of homophobic slurs in there.

Castiel Novak and Dean Winchester are in love. Everybody seems to know it but the boys themselves. Those closest to them say nothing about it; instead they just smile, nod knowingly, and decide to let them figure it out on their own. Other folks who don't know them quite as well also say nothing, but quite a few of them frown when they see them and mumble unkind words at their backs. Such is life in rural Kansas. 

****

Cas met Dean when they were both twelve years old. After his father left his mother, she moved herself and her three boys from Denver for "a new start." Ever the unconventional woman, she had closed her eyes and pointed at a map. That is how Castiel found himself in Eudora, Kansas at possibly the most awkward time in his life.

He didn't hate his mother for moving him from a thriving metropolis to a tiny offshoot town. And he didn't hate the town itself. But he was lonely that summer and kept to himself inside their new home. Castiel had what his older brothers liked to call "rusty people skills." Castiel informed them dryly that something he never had to begin with could not get rusty. 

On the first day of seventh grade, twelve year old Castiel was slowly walking his way to school when he heard a thin cry come from behind some bushes. Curious and alarmed, he made his way towards the sound to see a much younger boy, probably seven or eight, being held upside down by two older kids, even older than himself. 

"Put the boy down," Castiel commanded with more power than he actually felt. He was, after all, outnumbered. Still, he wouldn't stand by and let bullies pick on a kid half their age.

"Who the fuck is this guy?" the uglier of the two asked with a sneer. 

Castiel just shook his head and started walking closer, not really sure what was going to happen, but angry beyond words that two teenagers could treat a child so small so poorly. "I said, put him down."

They roughly dropped the boy onto his back, and wide eyed, he stood and shuffled backwards to take off running in the other direction without another word. Castiel swallowed loudly. His good deed would no doubt quickly be repaid. With fists. In other words, Castiel was about to get his ass kicked. He wished he knew the boy's name at least. He wondered if he should run, too. The idea didn't sit well with him, so he stood his ground, his fists balled at his sides.

Just as the older boys seemed to come to an unspoken agreement to repaint the pavement with Castiel's face, he heard a voice deeper than his own calmly say, "Hey. Fuck-sticks. Get the hell out of here before I have to make you get out of here." Castiel took the chance to flick his gaze behind the boys, and there he was, the younger kid from earlier peeking around his back. 

His hair was golden, his bright green eyes burned, and he was fearless. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and he spoke like this was nothing more than a bored answer given in math class. The two boys gave each other a look. The ugly one shouted, "This isn't over, Winchester!" Then they jumped on their overturned bikes and they were gone.

Castiel, still uncertain of what the hell was going on exactly, forced himself to relax, then stared at the two boys standing before him. Suddenly his savior seemed a lot less confident, and he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand and shoved the other towards Castiel. Castiel just stared at it for a moment before he remembered he was supposed to shake it, so he did.

"Man, I don't know who you are, but thank you for saving this little jerk from those assholes," the golden haired boy said shakily. "He was supposed to wait for me to start walking to school, but the turd took off while I was in the shower." The younger kid huffed at that.

"Dean, you were taking too long."

Dean flicked his eyes over at the boy, and Castiel was struck by the love he saw in them. Brothers then. Castiel was inexplicably envious of their obvious connection. He didn't think his own brothers would risk a beating to save him. And yet it seemed this stranger had. How odd.

"Anyway, thanks. I was worried when I couldn't find Sammy, but then he comes running in the backdoor hollering about some kid who helped him and who was probably going to get hurt for his trouble, and I couldn't let that happen," Dean continued. "What's your name, dude?"

"I'm Castiel," he said, totally out of his element.

Dean smiled again, and it lit his whole face up. "Well, Cas, it's good to meet you. I'm Dean and this is Sam, and we fuckin' owe you one." Castiel had never heard a boy his age curse so much. He found it oddly...endearing.

And that is the story of how Cas met Dean. 

****

After that, the three of them were fairly inseparable. Dean taught Cas about movies, music, and people, and in return Cas helped Dean with schoolwork. Dean was brilliant, but he also took care of Sam full time because his father was often "gone on business." Castiel felt like that was code for something else, possibly drinking, though he never said anything about it. Either way, Dean found it hard to play dad to his little brother and keep up with school, so he was always grateful for Cas's help.

Then when the boys were sixteen, Dean and Sam's father was in a car accident that took his life. Cas was there for Dean through it all. He was there for the funeral. He let Dean's tears stain the jacket of his suit afterwards. He was there when Dean decided to drop out of school and get his GED. He was there when Dean and Sam moved their belongings to their uncle Bobby's house and when Dean started working at Bobby's automotive shop. All he could offer was his support, and Castiel unwaveringly did so. 

And that is the story of how Cas and Dean became best friends. 

****

Now Cas is a senior in high school and Dean works full time as a mechanic, and Sammy has grown to be quite tall and self-proficient at the age of fourteen. He barely even reminds Cas of the scrawny kid he saved behind Mrs. Millican's tall rose bushes on the first day of seventh grade. And even Sam, ever wise beyond his years, knows his brother loves Cas, but he never says a thing about it, because he knows Dean has to figure this one out on his own. 

Castiel and Dean find themselves out running one Saturday morning. The running trail is muddy and the sky is overcast, and Dean hates running but Cas loves it so he goes once in a while to keep him company. After a couple of miles, they are breathless and Dean shouts, "Dude...dude, I'm gonna die." 

So Cas relents and they stop at the next bench along the trail and flop down on it. They are both sweaty. Dean can't catch his breath, and he groans as he lays his head on his friends thigh with his knees bent up onto the bench. "How is this fun for you, you asshole," he pants. Cas just chuckles. 

It's at that exact moment that a man in a navy blue track suit rounds the curve at a walking pace and sees them. He stops. There's a disgusted look on his face. "Why don't you two faggots take that somewhere else," he says clear as day. Dean sits up and looks at Cas. Cas sees him, but he also sees red. He's known he was gay since he was nine years old, and he does not like that word.

Castiel stands up. "Excuse me?" he says with narrowed eyes, his head tilted slightly. At that moment Dean brings out his phone and hastily starts recording a video. He is still breathless, and besides, he knows Cas can hold his own. Dean taught him to spar himself, right alongside Sammy. He also wants evidence against this asshole in case he decides to make trouble for Cas down the road.

"I said, take this faggot-ass shit somewhere where God-fearin' people like myself don't have to see it," the man says very deliberately. 

Cas laughs out loud. "God? You want to bring God into this? I think God would have a bigger problem with your words than he would of my heterosexual friend over there resting his head on my leg because he is about to pass out from running." Cas is furious. Dean just keeps his phone trained on them both, ready to step in if needed. His face burns a little from hearing Cas defend his honor.

"Yeah, well, you and your supposedly straight friend over there sure got a lot of tongues wagging around town. Nasty closeted queers, the both of ya," the man says as he stares down his nose at Cas.

Cas has never given that any thought. People really think that about him and Dean? Seriously? Sure, Cas has briefly wished his best friend could have feelings for him, but he always shoves it away because Dean is unequivocally straight. And Cas would rather have him as a friend than nothing at all. So that's that. Dean still says nothing, though he does blush a deep red at the man's words. Cas doesn't notice.

Casitel pokes a finger at the man, but still doesn't touch him. "I am very much out of the closet, thank you very much. Take back what you said about my friend."

"Cas--" Dean starts to say, but it's at that moment that the man punches Castiel in the face. Hard. And Cas wasn't expecting it at all. He falls straight back and hits his head on the bench.

Dean has just enough time to think to himself that the mud that splashes out from underneath Castiel's back looks like wings, and then he barely sees anything at all. 

And that is the story of how Dean comes to beat a man senseless on a muddy jogging track, then carry his best friend in his arms two miles back to town and another mile to the hospital.

****

By the time he enters the hospital, Sheriff Mills is already waiting for him. Apparently, the bigoted dick had called the police immediately. With trembling arms he says, "Please. Please take care of him first, then you can take me in."

But it turns out no charges are pressed against Dean. Jody Mills knows bigotry when she sees it, and she isn't about to arrest this young man for assault when his phone video clearly shows that the other guy hit Cas first.

Dean waits by Castiel's bedside all night, and when Cas shifts the next morning and says, "Ugghh," Dean jerks awake and stares. "What happened?" Cas moans.

"You hit your head there, buddy. You're gonna be okay."

Cas cracks an eye at him and in his gravelly voice, he hoarsely says, "Who are you?" Dean's stomach drops to the ground. Head injuries are tricky, he knows. 

"Cas, it's me, Dean."

Castiel smiles, and says, "Gotcha." He grimaces a little, then all seriousness he murmurs, "Hello, Dean." Dean doesn't think he has ever laughed so hard or felt so relieved in his life.

Sam comes by a little later to check on Cas and is relieved to see him sitting up and coherent, as well. In the hallway, Dean stops him before he leaves. "Sammy, what would you say of I told you I think I like Cas?"

Sam stares at him like he's grown a second head, and suddenly Dean is nervous. "I'd say duh." 

"No, I mean like him, like him," Dean elaborates quietly. 

Sam nods. "I. Would. Say. Duh." Then he grins and turns away before Dean can say anything. He heads towards the exit of the hospital, leaving Dean staring at his back with his mouth hanging open.

So when Dean goes back into Cas's room, he stands nervously by the door. He's twisting his fingers together, unsure of what to say. Cas looks up at him and says, "Hey, what's wrong. Did the doctor let it slip that I'm going to die or something?" Cas smiles. Dean's mouth goes dry. Cas is all dark bed-head, and two day stubble, and eyes like the goddamn ocean. Cas is beautiful. 

"Cas," he starts quietly. "That asshole wasn't wrong."

Cas rolls his eyes and says, "What did Sam do now?"

Dean shakes his head. "No. The asshole at the jogging track."

Cas's face falls. Here it comes. Dean has always been accepting about Castiel's sexuality, but now that he thinks it's tarnishing his reputation as well, he isn't going to want to be friends anymore, and...

"We are a couple of faggots," Dean continues, and Castiel's head tilts so far it looks like it might fall off of his shoulders. 

"What?" he exclaims a little too loudly. Dean knows Cas hates that word. 

Dean's face turns bright red. "That came out wrong. Let me try that again," he mutters and runs a hand through his hair. He notices that he is sweating. 

Dean approaches the bedside and sits down. He takes Cas's hand in his own and says, "Seeing you laid out like that..." his voice catches in his throat. "Your head, it was bleeding bad, and I didn't know how serious it was, and all I could think was if you died because some idiot punched you for taking up for me, I would never be able to forgive myself...and then it hit me. I need you." A tear rolls down Dean's cheek. "I love you."

Cas's heart stutters in his chest. He doesn't know what to say, so instead he reaches up with his free hand and cups Dean's cheek with it. He revels in the sandpaper feel of stubble underneath his palm. Gently, he brings Dean's face down to his own, and he kisses him. 

When they finally pull away from each other, they are both rosy cheeked and their eyes are full of wonder. "I think I've loved you since I was twelve years old, Dean Winchester. You saved me then, and you've saved me everyday since."

Dean huffs a laugh. "No, Cas. You're definitely the one who saved me."

And that is the story of how Castiel Novak and Dean Winchester realized their love.


End file.
